This article is from page 30 of the 2008-07-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 30 JPG
THE acting director of Glor has Ne NwOlecO MO orem ON eloMGe IINRCMAUBDU Moa (ooOIAUC ally close down and become a ma- chinery warehouse if there is not a significant increase in local authority funding for the centre.
In a stark assessment of the cen- tre’s finances, David Collopy says that Glor requires at least another €100,000 a year from Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council
just to keep pace with inflation.
Confirming that the centre’s 2007 losses are in “six figures”, he said the councils’ annual contribution had not increased from the €317,000 first allocated in 2001 when the centre opened.
“If that was required in 2001, then by the same logic, there is going to be a gap in 2008 as the cost of every- thing has gone up.
“If the council can’t give anymore money, then Glor is going to change.
It has to. Otherwise it will be turn- ing in loss after loss after loss. Then the negativity starts and it eventually closes down and becomes a machin- ery warehouse”.
“Does Ennis want that? If the an- Swer is no, then how is it going to plan for its future?” he asked
Mr Collopy pointed out that the centre now employs 45 people, has more programming while wages and costs have also increased.
The heating bill over the winter
months amounted to €1,200 a week.
With inflation increasing by 33 per cent since 2001, an additional €100,000 is required each year just to keep pace with inflation.
“The question is not how much it should be getting, but what the coun- cil should be funding and link the fu- ture annual contribution into annual inflation increases?
“T gather from powers that be, that we were very fortunate to get our funding for this year because of the
budgetary issues they had.
“The future of the organisation 1s going to have to be more financially olan tleem
“Once the councils commit to funding the organisation, they have to revisit the benchmarking for that auusrenparce
In relation to box-office income, Mr Collopy said, “Beyond a certain price, people will not pay. We have a ceiling what you can charge at the box office”.